Careers

Environmental scientists seek to protect both environmental and human health by assessing problems and seeking to find solutions through field, lab, and/or computer-based work. Working in environmental science-related jobs can involve collecting and analyzing soil, water, or air samples, mapping wetlands and disasters, or modeling how pollution is moving through rivers, aquifers, and the air. Environmental Scientists may even find themselves informing the general public about hazards or testifying in court cases.

Environmental Scientists:

• Work in the private sector, government, or non-governmental positions
• Work on enforcing or improving environmental regulations, laws and policies
• Advise government officials responsible for developing policies
• Assess possible environmental and health impacts of development projects
• Serve as community advocates to ensure clean water and air for vulnerable populations

No matter the sector they work in, environmental scientists are typically broadly trained across multiple disciplines. Course work for environment science is hands-on and lab-science heavy, including Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Geology, and Agriculture (Plant and Soil Science). In addition to being well versed in analyzing data using mathematical and statistical methods, environmental scientists must also have strong writing and oral communication skills. Further, it is important that environmental scientists understand societal impacts through the perspectives of human geography, sociology, and political science.

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook (2020) published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor and Statistics, “Employment of environmental scientists and specialists is projected to grow 8 percent from 2018 to 2028, faster than the average for all occupations."

Geography is a field of study that provides students the skills and technical knowhow needed to address issues, challenges and opportunities associated with how humans interact with their local and global environments. Geographers are behind the maps you use every day, as well as the policies that shape our cities, and the analysis that sustains and protects our environment. Geographers help shape the future design of cities and infrastructure. Geographers assess the impacts of rising sea levels, volcanic eruptions, floods, heat waves, and tropical storms, while others study impacts of wildfires or manage wetlands. Geographers investigate the environmental and economic impacts of tourism, and gauge the cultural impacts of globalization. Geographers use cutting edge satellite data to explore alternative energy sources and assess natural resource utilization and population growth. Geographers also work directly with local people on socioeconomic issues such as health, migration, and housing affordability. Moreover, geographers play a vital role in teaching this eclectic subject matter in school districts across the nation and around the world. If you want to learn about and change our world, there is no better discipline for people who thrive on complex challenges and want to make a real impact on lives and our environment.

The training provided by a geography degree straddles the social and physical sciences, thus providing students the broad-based academic training required of a rapidly evolving and diversifying labor force. There are now hundreds of occupations that require the interdisciplinary knowledge and diverse skills that a geographical education can provide. For example, the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistical Occupational Outlook Handbook (2019) predicts there will be substantial growth in jobs requiring geographical knowledge during the next decade. The academic training required of geographers is exceptionally broad, although it may vary according to particular focus of expertise. Course work for geography is hands-on and includes classes in both the physical and social sciences, as well as exposure to geospatial technology. Geographers must possess writing and oral communication skills, but also be familiar with the use and manipulation of statistical data. Further, all geographers at SHSU have opportunities to directly apply what they learn in real world situations via enrollment within field-based courses, including those incorporating weekly field experiences within the local area, as well as some that entail longer field trips across the U.S. or to various international locations.

Geographers Serve as:

• Environmental consultants informing developers of the potential hydrological impacts of construction projects
• Urban planners who assess the environmental costs and benefits of proposed transit systems
• State climatologists assessing the impacts of rising sea levels
• Public health consultants that map the potential diffusion of disease
• Location analysts that recommend new markets and locations for businesses & public services
• Cartographers that design and analyze maps for planning agencies and/or for the U.S. military
• Human rights advocates working with refugee populations
• Public and private school teachers, and university faculty
• Developers of apps catered to tourists that provide directions as well as historical information for significant cultural sites.

The predicted growth in jobs available for those with a geographical background is high for graduates possessing experience applying geospatial technologies, especially if they have been applied from interdisciplinary perspectives. Furthermore, the range of career opportunities available to geography graduates continues to grow every year.

Geologists study the materials, processes and history of the Earth and other planets. They work all around the world and in all sorts of settings, some are field based whereas others work in a laboratory or do computer modeling. Many geologists regularly travel around the world for field studies. Geoscientists provide essential information for solving problems and establishing governmental policies for resource management, environmental protection, and public health, safety, and welfare.

Geologists:

• Work on issues related to ground or surface water contamination
• Perform site surveys for engineering or construction companies
• Look for sources of valuable minerals (oil, gas, gold, rare Earth metals)
• Use fossils to understand ancient life
• Develop land-use plans
• Study geologic processes on our planet to understand other planets in our solar system
• Seek to understand past climates on our planet
• Use knowledge of the past to understand current and future societal issues (e.g., climate change, species extinctions)

Field components of upper level course work serve as the foundation for understanding geologic principles. However, to understand our planet, geologists rely on and integrate a wide range of knowledge in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Mathematics, and Statistics. Strong written and oral communication skills are necessary to convey geologic ideas not only to employers, but also to government officials and the general public.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median salary for Geoscientists of $92,040 in May 2019. Further, the job outlook for Geoscientists is bright as BLS predicts a 5% growth in employment from 2019 to 2029.